Metering panel board



A. C. McWlLLIAMS METERING PANEL "BOARD Filed May 9, 1921 3 Sheets-SheetOct. 9; 1928. 1,686,717

A. c. MCWILLIAMS METERING PANEL BOARD Filed May 9. 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 2Oct, 9, 1928. 1,686,717

A. c. M WILLIAMS METERING PANEL- BOARD Filed May 9. 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet3 1,686,711 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR C. MGWILLIAMS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO WESTINGHOUSEELEC- TRIC & MANUFACTURIN G COMPANY,

A CORPORATION or PENNSYLVANIA;

METERING PANEL BOARD.

Application filed May 9,

-" cilitating the connection of consumption circuits to meters in andesired combinations. In buildings in whicli space is rented out todifferent tenants in varying proportions, it is a common practice tometer the current consumed by each tenant for his electric light and fanservice, and it is therefore necessary to regroup the meteringconnections whenever the space occupied by different tenants of thebuilding is increased or decreased.

For this purpose, it is customary to provide a separate meter for eachtenant and to mount the consumption circuit terminals for a group ofrooms (such as the rooms on a single floor of a building) on a meteringpanel board from which the connections can then be made in any desiredcombinations to the meters.

Various metering panel boards have heretofore been devised and employedfor this purpose, such as the ones described in my previously issuedPatent No. 920,490, which shows a panel board in which the consumptioncircuit conductors extend transversely across the meter circuitconductors, thus permitting any desired connections to be made betweenthe two sets of conductors. While such an arrangement is highlyadvantageous, it requires the use of conductors of ample length forsimultaneously aflording all of the possible connections and henceinvolves a rather high cost in proportion to the average needs, sinceonly a small portion of the said conductors is ordinarily in service. Italso requires a larger amount'of wall space than is desirable,particularly in modern buildings where the rental value of space isquite high. The same objections also apply to panel boards in which theconnections are made through transfer bars disposed at the sides of theboard and requiring long straps for the connections to the same. Mypresent invention aims to'overcome such objections by providing asimplified andcheapened construction which also will occupy considerablyless wall space than a crossed-conductor panel board of the type abovementioned.

Other types of panel boards have also been objectionable in that theypresented consump- 1921. Serial No. 467,801.

t-ion circuit terminals of opposite-polarity close to each other andtherefore made it difficult for the electrician employed in renewlngfuses or in changing connections to avoid short-circuits. My inventionaims to overcome this objection by providing a polarlty type of panelboard in which the cons sumption circuit terminals of each polarity aregrouped by themselves and are spaced by considerable distances fromthose of the opposite polarity. Moreover, my resent inventlon aims toprovide a panel board in which the fuses for both terminals of eachconsumption circuit are mounted on the panel board adjacent to eachother so as to be easily distinguished from other fuses, and to providea metering panelboard in which such an arrangement will permit aconsiderable reduction in the wall space required for the board. It alsoaims to make the ordinary meter connections to the terminals of the twopolarities instantly visible, thereby enabling the electrician'to tellat a glance how nearly he is balancing the connections and hencefacilitating the proper balancing of the load on an ordinary three wiresystem.

In still another aspect, my invention aims to provide a metering panelboard in which the connections for the more common roupings can be allmade by em loying re atively short and cheap strap con actors andpreferably by employing strap conductors of a standard size; and also toarrange the panel board so that unusual connections can quickly be madeby means of jumpers of insulated wire or the ike Furthermore, myinvention aims to provide a panel board construction which can readilybe built in sections and in which the constituent sections can speedilybe connected to one another, and aims to provide a panel ductors andwithout the risk of short-ciro cuits between such conductors. It alsoaims to provide a metering panel board in which all the consumptionterminals of each polarity can easily be connected to each otherwhenever no separate metering of different circuits is required. Stillfurther and also more detailed objects will appear from the followingspecification and from the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 showsa meter closet as installed in a typical ofiice building for useaccording to my invention.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section through the meter closet of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged elevation of a panel board embodying my invention,such as the one Within the closet of Figs. 1 and 2, and. arranged forconnecting twelve consumpt on circuits in any desired combinations wlthfrom one to six meters.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section through the same board, taken along thecenter line of the lower row of fuses.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken along thecorrespondingly numbered line in Fig. 3.

, Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical section taken along thecorrespondingly numbered line in Fi 3 and showing one standard strapconnector as used for electrically connecting two of the meter bars.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of one of the rear wire terminals used incombination with a short length of insulated wire for making one of theunusual connections on the panel board, such as the one shown in heavydotted lines near the lower edge of Fig. 3 and also shown in elevationat the middle of Fig. 4.

Fig. 8 is an elevation of the same rear wire terminal.

Fig. 9 is a plan view of one of the stand'ard strap connectors as usedwith the panel board of Fig. 3 in making all ordinary connectionsbetween the meter bars and consumption circuit terminals.

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic view of the panel board of Fig.3 showingtwelve circuits as connected in certain groupings to three meters, allof the changeable connect-ions being made by means of the standardizedstrap connectors, one of which was shown in Fig. 9, the two outer rowsof fuses being omitted.

Fig. 11 is a similar diagrammatic view of a panel board having eighteenconsumption circuits connected with certain groupin s to four meters andwith all except one o the connections made by means of the standardizedstrap connectors for which my panel board is specially adapted.

Fig. 12 is a diagrammatic view of a twelve circuit panel board used inconnection with eight meters and havin the meter straps arranged inthree paralle rows.

Fig. 13 is a diagrammatic view of the panel board of Fig. 3, showing thestandardized strap connectors as used when all twelve of the consumptioncircuits are to be used without separately metering the same.

Referring to the illustrated embodiment, Fig. 3 shows a metering panelboard having as its insulating base a panel 21 of slate carrying uponits front bus bars 22 and 23 adapted to be connected respectively to thepositive and negative sides of an ordinary three wire .variousconsumption circuits. These fuse plugs are here shown as of the screwtype,

with the plugs omitted in Fig. 3 but included in the section of Fig. 4.Laterally inward of the two vertical rows of fuse plugs as thus disposedadjacent to the opposite edges of the panel board are two rows of bores28 through which the consumption circuit wires 30 are brought from theback of the board to the terminals 31 of the said fuse plugs 27 and alsoto the terminals 32 of the fuse plugs 33 each of which respectivelyprotects the polarity side of the same circuit for which the neutralside is protectedby the laterally adjacent fuse plug 27. These polarityside fuse plugs 33 are desirably also disposed in two vertical rowslaterally inward of the board from the bores 28 and desirably have theconsecutive fuse plugs in each row spaced from each other by the samedistances as the consecutive fuse plugs 27, namely by the standardcenter-to-center distance for which the standardized connectors of mypanel board are made. The polarity fuse side fuse plugs 33 of theconsumption circuits have their other terminals 34 (namely the terminalswhich are to be connected to the polarity side of the meter su plycircuit) directed towards the middle of t e panel board.

Thus arranged, it will be obvious from Fig. 3 that the protectiveinstrumentalities (here shown as pairs of fuse plugs) associated withthe respective consumption circuits are disposed in horizontal rows withtheir metering terminals 34 directed towards the vertical center line ofthe panel board. Mounted on the face of the panel board between thesetwo rows of terminals 34 are a plurality of rows of meter bars, whichrows are also spaced from each other by the center-to-center distanceabove mentioned. Generally, I employ two rows of metering bars for thispurpose as shown in Fig. 3, these rows of bars 35 and 36 beingrespectively in alinement with the bus bars 22 and 23 which. arerespectively connected to the positive and negative sides of the supplycircuit. Each of the meter bars is provided with a wire terminal 37through which one of the polarity connections may be made to a meter,while the other polarity con nections to the same meter is made througha fuse to one of the bus bars. For example, Figs. 3 and 6-show themiddle meter bar 35B as connected through a wire 38 to one side of themeter 39, while the other side of the The same standardized strapscanlikewise be meter is connected through a wire 40' and a fuse 41 tothebus bar 22, the neutral connection for the same meter being made by awire with a plurality of wire terminals-43 respecuse tively inhorizontal alinement with the plug terminals 34 and spaced from thelatter y the above named standard center-to-center dlstance. Ordinarily,I employ meter bars 36 each of a s-uflicient length for providing twosuch terminals 43 and hence adapted to be directly connected to two ofthe consump tion circuits. Thus arran ed, it will be obvious from theright hand half of Fig. 3 that by bridging across the laterally adjacentterminals 43 and 34, each of the three right hand meter bars 36 canreadily be connected to a pair of consumption circuits.

For making such connections, as well as the other connections hereaftermentioned, I desirably employ strap connectors 44 consistmg simply ofmetal strips. of approximately the same length as the meter bars andpunched with bores to correspond to the said center-tocenter standardspacing as shown in Figs. 5' and 9. In view of this standardized spacinbetween adjacent terminals associated wit the consumption circuits andthe meter bars, these standard strip connectors can be usedinterchangeably as totalizers for connecting any meter bar with anothermeter bar in the same row (as shown at 44A in Fig. 3) or as circuitconnectors connecting any meter barv wit-h a consumption circuitterminal adj acent. thereto (as shownat 44B in the same figure) or astransfer connectors for connect ing the meter bar in one row'with ameter bar in the other row as shown in 44C in Fig. 11.

used as to-talizers for connecting any two circuit terminals in the samerow, as shown sumption circuit terminals in a wide variety of groupingsto the several meters. For instance, Fig. 3 shows a strap 44B connectingroom circuit #3 with the-meter bar B, so

(ill

that this circuit will be metered on the meter B. It. also shows' strap44A connecting the meter bars 35A=and 35B, so that the circuit terminalslaterally adjacent to the meter bar 35A can also be metered on the samecircuit by using corresponding horizontal straps between the terminalson the meter bar 35A and the adjacent terminals of the consumptioncircuits 1 and 2. So also, the circuit 4 could readily be included inthe same meter circuit by bridging from its terminal to the lowerterminal on the meter bar 35B.

Connections can also be made directly bebridging across the gap betweentwo lateral,

1y adjacent meter bars, after the manner of the strap 44C of Figs. 10and 11. My panel board construction therefore lends itself to a widevariety ofpossible combinations without requiring any crossing ofconductors for the more common connections, and without requiring anywaste. of length in the conductors such as is involved with the crossedgrid panel'board constructions heretofore in use or with panel boards inwhich the connections are made indirectly through transfer bars disposedat the sides of the board. So also, since the strap connections areexposed on the front of the'panel board and since the consumptioncircuits commonly connected to the two opposite polarities are atopposite sides of the board, a glance at the connected for the user-tomaintain a fair balancein the connections, particularly as he cancross-connect between circuits at opposite sides of the board ifdesired, as for example after the manner shown at the bottom of Fig. 10or at the middleof Fig. 11.

By thus separating the consumption circuits which would ordinarily beconnected respectively to the two polarity lines of the supply circuit,I also reduce the risk of short circuits during the making of changes inthe connections. Moreover, the double grouping enables me to employ asmaller size areaof panel board for a given number of circuits thanwould be required for the same if these circuit terminals were allgrouped in single rows after the manner heretofore customary,

'while the mounting of both fuses for each consumption terminallaterally adjacent to each other on the panel board likewise reduces therequired space.

- However, I do not wish to be limited to th use of the standardizedlength of meter bars and strap connectors, nor to connections madeentirely on the front of the panel board, nor

otherwise to the various features of construction and'arrangemen't asheretofore described it being obvious that the same m ght be varied inmany ways without departing from the spirit of my invention. Forexample, unusualcases may arise where it is desirable to makeconnections which cannot readily be effected by the standardized straparrangement. To allow forv these, I preferably provide the panel boardwith rows of holes 47 disposed respectively between each row ofconsumption circuit terminals and the adjacent row of meter bars. Then Iprovidesuitable connectors-such as the rear circuit terminals 48 each ofwhich comprises a strap portion adapted to reach from one of theconsumption circuit terminals 34: to the adjacent perforation 47 andalso has a tubular stem adapted to extend into the said perforation. Byusing two such rear circuit terminals and connecting them by aninsulating wire disposed at the back of the board-I can readily makerear connections between consumption circuit or meter strip terminals asshown by the wire 49 in Figs. 3 and 4, and as also indicated by thewires shown in dotted lines in Figs. 11 and 12. To provide access to therear of the panel board for making such unusual connections, I desirablymount the panel board 21 between a pair of side panels 50 as shown inFig. 2, so that by removing the panels 50 the electrician can reach backof the panel board for making such connect-ions. To avoid confusion, themechanical supports for the panels 21 and 50 are not shown in Fig. 2,these eing too well understood by those to whom this patent is addressedto require illustrating. Moreover, I do not wish to be limited to theuse of standardized meter bars, as these bars might be varied in lengthafter the manner of the lower two bars in Fig. 11 and of the middle barin the left hand row in the same figure. Nor do I wish to be limited tothe use of only tworows of meter bars, as the principles of my inventionmay also be employed advantageously with a larger number of rows, suchas the three rows of meter bars of Fig. 12. Furthermore, the panel boardof my invention need not be restricted in use to applications where theseparate circuits are to be metered, but can readily be used after themanner of an ordinary panel board for connecting consumption circuitswhich do not require a separate metering. For example, Fig. 13 shows howthe twelve consumption circuits of a panel board arranged as per Fig. 3can readil be connected in two groups to the polarity wires of thesupply circuit by using the standardized straps for connecting each rowof meter bars both to the bus bar alined with the same and to theconsumption circuit terminals on the\ same side of the board.

In installing a metering panel board of this type, I desirably mount thepanel board in a cabinet 51 into which both the supply circuit wires andthe consumption circuit wires are run through suitable conduits afterthe manner shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and desirably mount the variousmeters in the same closet with the cabinet 51. By so doing, it will beevident from the drawings (in which similar numerals have been appliedto the fuse plugs and to the room circuit Wires controlled by the same)that I entirely avoid all loose and unsightly wires both in thepermanent connection to the panel board and meters and in theinterchangeable connections which can readily be made according to myinvention.

terminal bars in adjacent rows,

Moreover, by reducing the length of connectors required for affording awide range of interchangeable grouping I considerably reduce the firstcost over that of panel boards as heretofore constructed for the samecapacity, while the greater compactness correspondingly decreases therequired space.

Since the greater compactness reduces the size of the insulating boardrequired for the panel, this also cooperates with the reduction in thetotal length of required connectors in reducing the cost of the panelboards, so that I can effect a decided saving in cost over older typesof panel boards of the same capacity. Moreover, my parallel rowarrangement readily lends itself to a sectional panel board constructionwhich will permit contractors to carry the constituent sections in stockand to join them as needed in any desired sizes. For instance, it willbe evident from Figs. 1 and 13 that the insulating board of the panelcould be built in sections separated along the lines H and K, and thatby increasing the number of the lower sections the capacity of the panelboard can be correspondingly enlarged. In this case each of the lowersections would have two meter bars and two groups of fuse plugs mountedon it, and. the only connection required between the sections would bethat between the consumption side fuse plugs and the neutral bus bar,which is easily made after the customary manner of lengthening bus bars.

I claim as my invention 1. A metering panel board comprising a pluralityof panels, each having upon its face a plurality of meter bars arrangedin parallel rows betweentwo rows of consumption circuit terminals, anddetachable strap connectors of equal length connecting meter. bars ofone panel and of adjacent panels with each other and with theconsumption circuit terminals.

2. A metering panel board comprising a plurality of panels, each havingupon its ace two para lel rows of consumption circuit terminals, meterterminal bars disposed in parallel rows rows, detachable straps forconnecting meter and detachable straps for connecting meter terminalbars with consumption circuit terminals and with adjacent meter terminalbars. 7 3. A. metering panel board having upon its face two parallelrows of consumption circuit terminals, the terminals in one row being ofopposite polarity to those in the other row, meter bars disposed uponthe face of the board in a row between the said rows, and detachableconnectors for connecting meter bars of one panel to each other-and tometer anel board having upon its face two paralIe rows of consumptioncirminals.

cuit terminals, the terminals in one row being selectedmeter bars,selected consumption ing of opposite'polarity to those in the othercircuit terminals, and selected meter bars and row, meter barsdisposed-in two parallel rows consumption circuit terminals, eachconsumpupon the face of the board between the said tion circuit terminalhaving its strap-engagrows of terminals, and detachable straps of ingportion disposed for simultaneous conuniform length for interchangeablyconnect nection to straps respectively connecting the ing meter bars ofeither row either with those same with another of the other row, or withadjacent circuit tera meter bar.

l0. metering panel board for a three 5. A metering panel board,comprising wire circuit comprising two parallel rows of consumptionterminals disposed in two par-' longitudinally spaced meter bars, tworows allel rows and meter bars disposed in two of consumption circuitelements at opposite parallel rows between the aforesaid rows, the sidesofthe said two parallel rows and exsaid terminals and bars beingprovided with tending parallel thereto, the consumption cirfasteningelements and bein disposed for cuit elements in each row extendingtransroviding a standardized spacing between the versely ofthe said rowsand each comprising fastening elements on adjacent consumption the twofuse plugs associated with a single circuit terminal and with Vterminals in the same row, the fastening eleconsumption clrcuit and acircuit terminal exments on adjacent meter bars and between adposedbetween the two fuse lugs and the rows jacent fastening elements on anyconsumpof meter bars; and detacha 1e connectors for tion terminal and ameter bar adjacent thereinterconnecting adjacent circuit terminals,

' to; and standardized straps for connecting adjacent meter bars, andadjacent circuit tersuch uniformly spaced fastening elements. minals andmeter bars.

6. A metering panel board, comprising two 11. A metering panel board fora three wire parallel rows of consumption circuit termicircuitcomprising two parallel rows of longinals, and meter bars disposed intwo parallel tu'dinally spaced meter bars, two rows of conrows betweenthe aforesaid rows; in combina: sumption circuit elements respectivelyat opti n wi h s r ps. for interconnecting selected posite sides of themeter bars and extending meter bars, and for interconnecting selectedparallel thereto, the consumption circuit eleconsumption circuitterminals, and for mtcrments in each row extending transversely ofconnecting selected meter bars and consumpthe said rows and eachcomprising the two tion circuit terminals, the connecting portions fuseplugs associated with a single consumpof the meter bars'and of the saidterminals tion circuit and a circuit terminal exposed being so spaced asto permit the use of straps between the two fuse plugs and the rows of vof a sin 16 Standardlength for'the said intermeter bars; and a neutralbus bar connected connectmg. a to the laterally outward fuse of each setof 7. A metering panel board, comprising two consumption circuitelements, the companion parallel rows of consumption circuit termifusebemgco'n'nected to the circuit terminal nals, and meter bars disposed intwo parallel of the same set. rows between'the said rows; in combination12. A metering panel board having two with straps for interconnectingselected meter space-d rows of consumption circuit terminals, bars,selected consumption circuit terminals, meter terminals disposed in twoparallel rows nd S le meter bars a d onsumption'cirbetween the aforesaidrows, two polarity bus cuit terminals; each meter bar having a strapbarsrespectively alined with the rows of engaging portion disposed forsimultaneous meter terminals, two neutral bus bars respecconnection tostraps respectively connecting tively flanking the rows of consumptioncirthe same with another meter bar and with a cuit terminals, and pairsof consumption circonsumption circuit terminal. cuit fuse plugs disposedrespectively between 8. A metering panel board, comprising two the firstnamed rows and the neutral bus bars, parallel rows of consumptioncircuit termithe fuse plugs of each pair being connected nals, and meterbars disposed in parallel rows to each other-through a consumptioncircuit between the said rows; in combination with and connectedrespectivelyto one of the cirstraps for interconnectin selected meterbars, cuit terminals and one of the neutral bus bars. selectedconsumption clrcuit terminals, se- 13. A metering panel board having twolected meterbars and consumption circuit terspaced rows of consumptioncircuit terminals, minals; each meter bar having a strap-engagspacedmeter terminals disposed in two paraling portion disposed forsimultaneous conlel rows between the aforesaid rows, two ponection tostra s respectively connecting the larity bus bars respectively alinedwith the same with anot er meter bar in the same row rows of meterterminals, two neutral bus bars and with a meter bar in another row.respectively flanking the rows of consumption 9. A metering panel board,comprising circuit terminals, and pairs of consumption two parallel rowsof consumption circuit tercircuit fuse plugs disposed respectivelybeminals of similar polarity, and meter bars distween the first namedrows and the neutral posed in parallel rows between the said rows; busbars, the fuse plugs of each pair being in combination with straps forinterconnectconnected to each other through a consumption circuit andconnected respectively to one of the circuit terminals and one of theneutral bus bars, the neutral bus bars bein disposed behind the panel ofthe board an connected respectively to the laterally outward consumptioncircuit fuse plug.

14. A metering panel board comprising consumption circuit terminalsarranged 1n two parallel rows spaced from each other by three times thestandard distance between the consecutive terminals in each row, andmeter terminals disposed in two parallel rows respectively spaced fromeach other and from the said rows of circuit terminals by the saidstandard distance.

15. A metering panel board comprising consumption circuit terminalsarranged in two parallel rows, meter terminals disposed in two parallelrows between the said'rows of consumption circuit terminals, the panelof the board having rows of perforations respectively disposed betweeneach row of meter termlnals and the adjacent row of consumption circuitterminals; connectors for use on the front of the board in bridging fromone meter terminal to another, from one consumption circuit terminal toanother, and from a meter terminal to a consumption circuit terminal;and wire terminals each adapted to connect a consumption circuitterminal with a wire disposed at the rear of the board so as to afford arear connection between any two of the aforesaid terminals.

16. In a metering panel board, protective instrumentality groupsarranged in two rows flanking two rows of relatively spaced and alinedmeter bars, each said group comprising devices for protecting both sidesof a consumption circuit, a neutral supply conductor connected to thelaterally outward members of all of the said groups, connecting meansinterchangeably attachable for connecting the laterally inward member ofany group with an adjacent meter bar'or with another such member, andconnecting means interchangeably attachable for connecting meter barswith one another, all of the said connecting means being arranged forattachment upon the front of the panel board without crossing anyconductors disposed on the said'front. V

17 A sectional metering panel board, comprising board sections eachhaving a pair of parallel meter bars flanked by two pairs of fusibleconsumption-circuit control devices extending laterally outward awayfrom the two meter bars, the spacin of the said devices on each sectionbeing identical and the center lines of the said pairs of control detheconnection distance between each meter bar and the adjacent controldevices.

18. A sectional metering panel board, comprising board sections eachhaving a pair of parallel meter bars flanked by two pairs of fusibleconsumption-circuit control devices extending laterally outward awayfrom the meter bars, the spacing of the said devices on each sectionbeing identical, the meter bars on each section having terminals spacedrespectively from the upper and lower edges of the section by half theconnection'distance between each meter bar and the adjacent controldevices.

19. A sectional metering'panel board, comprising board sections eachhaving a pair of parallel meter bars flanked by two pairs of fusibleconsumption-circuit control devices extending laterally outward awayfrom the meter bars, the spacing of the said devices on each sectionbeing identical, and a single companion section carrying bus bars spacedlaterally of the section to correspond to the spacing between the meterbars.

20. A' sectional metering panel board, comprising board sections eachhaving a pair of parallel meter bars flanked by two pairs of fusibleconsumption-circuit control devices extending laterally outward awayfrom the meter bars, the spacing of the said devices on each sectionbeing identical, and a single companion section carrying bus bars spacedlaterally of the section to correspond to the spacing between the meterbars, the said bus bars and the meter bars having terminals each spacedfrom the adjacent horizontal edge of the section carrying the same byhalf the connection distance between each meter bar and the adjacentcontrol devices.

21. A metering panel board comprising a plurality of panels each havingupon its face two parallel rows of consumption circuit terminals, ameter bardisposed between the aforesaid rows and detachable connectorsfor connecting meter terminal bars with consumption circuit terminalsand with meter terminal bars of adjacent panels.

22. A sectional metering panel board comprising board sections eachhaving upon its face a pair of parallel meter bars provided withconnector attaching terminals and flanked by pairs of fusibleconsumptioncircuit control devices having connector attaching terminalsand extending laterally outward away from the meter bars and arranged inrows parallel to the meter bars, the

spacing of the said terminals on each section and the terminals ofadjacent sections when in assembled relation being identical.

Signed at Chicago, April 30th, 1921.

. ARTHUR G. MQWILLIAMS.

